Food miles campaign director Julian Gairdner was filmed on location with the BBC’s Declan Curry at a farm shop in West Sussex where he talked about the environmental and economic benefits of buying local produce.

“We launched the campaign with some exclusive independent research results.

“The results show there is a real lack of understanding among the consumer of where their food comes from, but that many people want to buy local food,” Mr Gairdner said.

“Nineteen per cent of people we polled thought oranges were grown naturally in the UK and 10% thought pineapples were!

“But 82% said they would buy more local food at supermarkets if it was more clearly labelled as such.”

The Farmers Weekly campaign also featured on BBC News 24 and BBC South.

Other members of FW’s food miles campaign team have been interviewed on BBC regional radio and Tom Parker-Bowles, the Mail on Sunday’s food columnist, backed the campaign on BBC Radio Five Live’s breakfast show.

“By the weekend we should have been on air through at least 12 different BBC and commercial broadcast outlets,” added Mr Gairdner.

“It’s been a fantastic start to the campaign. Now we have to encourage our readers to come on board to help us achieve our aims.”

Farmers Weekly’scampaign aims to reach over five million people with a message to cut food miles, reduce transport pollution and help Britain’s farmers.